Peri menopause moans

[MinnnieMouse]

No I haven’t but a couple of friends have and get on well with it. I’ve never liked the idea of something inside me for long and too scared I’d be one of those people who would be screaming in pain putting it in, I’m too much of a wimp

I know this was from ages ago and you might have it by now, but honestly, I am the biggest wimp you will ever meet and mine was about 30 seconds of not even the worst period cramps I've ever had. I bled (lightly) on and off for a few months after it was out in and now if I do get a period, it is so light I rarely even need a light sanitary towel. I had the kind of periods that would determine what I did and where I went before so this was a huge game changer for me.

 

[PrettyGreeneyes76]

Ladies, so not had a period since February 2022 and today I’m spotting….ffs doctors won’t entertain me unless I’ve not bled for 12mths.

Have you other symptoms?

 

[EndofInfluencers]

I intended in reading through this thread and apologies in advance for some of the detail shared below:

I’m getting concerned that I may be going into early menopause- no history of it from either my grandmother nor mother, but I did hit puberty at around 9 years old and started my periods at 11, which I believe is a risk factor for early menopause?

I have very high oestrogen for my age (oestrogen dominance with low progesterone), but I’m concerned I may be going into early menopause as a few cycles ago I had my period early, which stopped after 4 days (which is normal for me) and barely two weeks later I went into a 11 day bleed- six days of it were like a day 2 bleed with significant clotting, which has always been normal for me (the clotting). In the end I had to intervene and use a progesterone cream to stop the bleed and was still getting break through bleeding for the next 2-3 days.

There’s no possibility of me being pregnant at the moment- I have PCOS, but no cysts, no fibroids and no endometriosis to my knowledge.

I was wondering if anyone had experienced something similar going into peri-menopause?

 

[Chocolategoggler]

I've just ordered the book, I do think diet is really key to this and its so personal for everyone, what might work for one might not for another. But I prefer to try this sort of thing as opposed to giving my money to some Tiktoker recommending some magic cure. I think the body and how it works is so important to understand. Have you heard of seed cycling, is that what you are doing re: chia and flax seeds

I don't think so (seed cycling). I'm intrigued. Tell me more!!!!
p.s. if you like the book there are more books but they're by Anita Bean.
My friends and family did take some recipes from the book I have, but went on to later get some of the Anita Bean books.
I remember one of them made beautiful vegetable soup and other soups from the books and another loved the risottos and salads.
If you do the original book for 28 days you will find your palate changed and you will be able to identify ingredients (especially cornflour) in foods such as soups and sauces. You'll probably reduce your sugar as it will taste like poison if you go back to usual foods.
I even got messages that some husbands were sulking as they didn't get any of the meals (their wives assumed they wouldn't like it).

 

[Kim Mild]

i get this mid cycle , been told it’s ovulation bleeding due to drop in hormones but worth asking your GP

Could well be , going by the dates .

 

[DellaC]

Thank you! TBH my Dr's surgery used to be great until Covid. Now there's just no appointments at all unless you tell them it's an emergency/you are bleeding uncontrollably. It's stressful! I am thinking of changing surgeries but now i'm in the system for this so got to keep with them for now.

I had a TV Ultrasound a good few years ago - honestly that one is absolutely fine, you feel nothing. Fingers crossed yours will be the same.x

The one I am dreading if it ever gets to it is a hysteroscopy... :/

Ahh thank you, that's reassuring, it needs to be done so I shall do as I'm told!

I'd not heard of a hysteroscopy so just had a look on the NHS website, hmm yup, that doesn't sound overly pleasant.

Oh it's hard being a woman isn't it ladies?!

 

[ThisIsMyGuiltyPleasure]

I started just before my 51st birthday but, with hindsight had been struggling for about 8 years

I suspected a lot was down to menopause given my age of course but I never got those hot sweats during the night. Eventually I was diagnosed with a thyroid issue and lots of the symptoms overlap.

 

[Baby Giraffe]

There's been a few articles on the BBC website about early menopause (although 44 isn't particularly early for peri)

Agreed, 44 isn’t particularly early as 45 is seen as it’s pretty much guaranteed

 

[petitspois]

As pain is being discussed, does anyone have a thought about what I'm getting?

So, in June, I suddenly got a little stabbing spasm in my lower left quadrant - the iliac fossa region - nothing severe, but did make me wince a little and left me with this ongoing niggling, stitch like pain in that area for over a week.

I have chronic constipation and thought it might be related. Then one night in bed I pressed on that area and it was very tender and I felt sudden pain that radiated around my hip. Next day it had gone.

Now, I have the Balance app with the period tracker and also a poop tracker (yes, really) and fast forward three months later and I'm still get these twinges on the left, but I've noticed from what I've been logging on my apps, that it seems it flares up around day 13/14 of my cycle - ripe ovulation time - and will then last a couple of days into my period, then go.

I've not suffered obvious ovulation pain before, and from my understanding, this shouldn't last longer than a couple of days at the most anyway. My periods are normal at the moment (I'm 46 next month), bleeding and cycle length is as usual.

Has anyone experienced or heard of anything similar?

I'm pretty sure you ovulate from alternate ovaries so, if it's the same side each time, it seems unlikely to be ovulation pain. Can't be any more help sorry. Hope you find a solution.

 

[Drea1984]

I must track my periods better. They come & go as they please
Are the sweats something you get when you are coming to the end of peri?
I’m nearly 51?

 

[Notworthy]

Been lurking on this thread for a while. Love that we can talk so openly about this - really starting to feel it, to be honest.

I feel like I am unravelling a little bit. I’ve recently been diagnosed with ADHD and they’ve said that being peri can cause havoc with that - the drop in hormones really affects your ability to cope.

I’m not sure if I am peri or not. My periods are t irregular. Is it possible to get the hot sweats in the morning instead of the night? It’s not when I first wake up but an hour or so later, I’m hot and sweating until I’m drenched.

Caffeine can trigger them

 

[Suzesnooze]

How is everyone’s memory?
Mine is shocking. It worries me immensely.

Mine is awful. My short term memory is really poor.

I struggle a bit at work. A lot of my colleagues take the Mickey now but it does worry me.

 

[Kim Mild]

I’ve only just been becoming aware that I might be peri in the last six months or so. Heavy sweating in the morning and lots of things culminating in my mental health falling off a cliff autumn last year. ADHD and OCD diagnosis quite quickly thanks to work private healthcare and when I described myself as unraveling after years of “coping”, the doctor explained that lots of women find they get a diagnosis later in life because during menopause, the drop in hormones affects all those coping strategies.

And now my period is two weeks late - I actually took a pregnancy test on Sunday. I’m 43! Negative so not pregnant, just getting older

When I was pregnant with my youngest , it was a couple of weeks late before I got a positive test .

 

[Horseyhelen]

Go to your GP. One word of warning though, the FSH test can only tell you if you are in peri, it cannot tell you you're not so if your GP runs that test and it comes back negative it doesn't necessarily mean anything because by its very nature peri is a time of fluctuating hormones irrespective of age.

So this is really interesting. I've had 2 blood tests and last time I said this to the GP and she said I was wrong! They're now testing me for fibroids eventhough my symptoms are just heavy periods and they just will not accept that my symptoms are peri despite being almost text book. Her reasoning is my periods are still regular eventhough they have changed

They argue I'm too young despite all the evidence and data online (I'm 44)

 

[DellaC]

My periods are so heavy these days they really drain me, so I can imagine how bad you feel if it’s constant bleeding. Glad today was a better day for you.

I think you have to persevere with the mirena. I have a few friends that have it and some had bad bleeding for ages and some it stopped straightaway.

Glad you’re getting the hysteroscopy and will get some answers

Thanks love. I just hope the hysteroscopy find the reason for these bleeds because I know it's not peri. I can deal with anything as long as I know.

Oh there's nowt worse is there? It's exhausting and you just feel proper manky don't you? Are you on anything to help you through?

 

[Piff paff puff]

Any ideas for Insomnia, hrt isn't helping

Walking miles per day helps or lots of gardening, or any other activity that's physically demanding.

 

[Notworthy]

I could write something really similar. I started this sort of thing in my early 30s, but have a family history of early meno so thought it could be that. I had scans and tests, but no physical reason found for such weird cycles. The doctors basically shrugged and game me the pill. I most recently had a 40 day bleeding episode (you can't really call it a period, can you?!) and now I'm waiting to see when/if it starts again.

It's so helpful reading about other women's experiences, we're not so alone.

So if the GP says it isn't Peri then what do they sugggest it is!

 

[DellaC]

No I’m not but the hot flushes are really kicking in and most of my friends are on HRT and advising me to go on it, so I’m considering it. I’m 55 so quite late as only just started missing a couple of periods in the last year.

Dr said don’t wish myself through it as good to hold onto my estrogen for as long as possible! I was told I was in peri 9 years ago and I know it can last 10 years but bloody hell it’s dragging on

Bloody hell that is really dragging on for you. Isn't it funny (funny peculiar not funny haha) how very different it affects us all? Most of my friends are just starting but one who's a little bit older (49) just stopped bleeding, a few sweats and that's it. Done and dusted! Lucky biatch

 

[Randy77]

Are betablockers proven to help with hormonal imbalance? Never heard of them being prescribed for that

Sorry should've said. Since I started perimenopause, my anxiety is so bad. That's why Dr has prescribed Beta Blockers.

 

[Baby Giraffe]

Has anyone experienced more hair on the face? I’m getting thick black hairs near the chin and they grow really fast. Also above lip line seems to need sorting a lot more too.

Sadly mine are really white so I can't use the electro thingy to blast them off and have to pluck